UFC Fans Defend Dana White’s “Bare Minimum” for Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev

These days, UFC CEO Dana White strips down major fight announcements. Instead of staging elaborate build-ups, he teases fans on social media, goes live, and delivers the news directly. However, the UFC didn’t always operate this way. Before 2015, the promotion rolled out fights with grand productions, press conferences, countdown shows, and live events. They helped turn every major card into a spectacle to watch out for. During the 2015–2018 period, the UFC pushed big reveals through staged full-scale pressers and dropped cinematic promo packages—designed to feel theatrical and dominate headlines. The ESPN partnership, however, shifted that formula, and the pandemic sped it up. From that point on, he went live on Instagram, opened with his familiar “What’s up, everybody,” and streamed casually from his office or home.

In contrast, fans rejected the stripped-down, minimalistic format, while boxing pushed even harder into flashy, big-budget productions. The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson promo, for instance, looked nothing less than a Michael Bay production. Nevertheless, criticism hasn’t stopped Dana White. Even with the UFC valued at $12 billion, he continues to keep announcements lean—whether fans like it or not.

Just yesterday, Dana White went online again to unveil UFC 322, this year’s marquee Madison Square Garden event, in the same way. He officially confirmed Islam Makhachev’s welterweight title debut against reigning champion Jack Della Maddalena on November 15 while seated in what looked like his office. This has stirred a new debate on X with ‘MMA On Point’ asking fans: “The UFC is worth 12 billion dollars and this is how they announce their biggest fights.”

The post accused Dana White & Co. of “doing the bare minimum.” Ultimately, the card left most fans buzzing with excitement, even though a vocal minority still called White’s minimalist announcement style rigid and “boring.”

Dana White’s minimalist announcement of Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena finds support

Beyond the blockbuster Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena headliner, UFC 322 will also feature another high-stakes champion vs. champion clash. Women’s flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko is set to face strawweight champion Zhang Weili, who vacated her 115-pound belt in pursuit of two-division glory. The matchup will serve as the co-main event to the headliner.

Despite the stacked lineup, some fans continued to take issue with Dana White’s stripped-down announcement style. Hardcore supporters, however, pushed back. One fan insisted, “This is the best way,” while another echoed that sentiment, writing, “Nothing is better than seeing Uncle Dana announce some fights.” White’s presence remains central to the UFC’s identity.

For more than two decades, he has operated as the promotion’s public face and driving force—managing everything from finances to fighter relations—while transforming the UFC into a multi-billion-dollar juggernaut. Fans largely credit the promotion’s consistent delivery of marquee fights to him, with one fan even remarking, “I don’t mind it but they should always announce the big fights at a PPV, which builds more hype.”

Much of the UFC’s success lies in maintaining a roster stacked with elite talent, a point supporters often highlight when comparing it to rivals like PFL and ONE. Still, not all reactions were positive. One fan criticized the UFC’s social media approach, sharing, “(Not) having Ariel announce was the best. But they f–ked that up..” This was a dig on Ariel Helwani’s bombshell 2016 scoop revealing Brock Lesnar’s UFC 200 comeback.

While some criticized the stripped-down approach, others praised Dana White’s Instagram Live announcements as genuine and straightforward. One fan noted, “I disagree, it’s an old authentic way of doing things. There’s no chance of leaks—it’s coming straight from Dana.” For many, having UFC president White personally deliver the news reinforces the sense of trust and authority behind the promotion.

With August’s pay-per-views now in the books, September shifts focus to Zuffa Boxing before the UFC roars back in October with its next blockbuster PPV, already revealed to fans. And if the online reactions are any indication, supporters remain firmly on board with Dana White’s “old authentic way of doing things.”